Slack adjuster



Patented Nov.. i3,

.sarai cervice.

WLLIAM H. SAUVAGE, OF FLSHING, NET5] YORK, hsSGNR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, 'EO GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

SLACK ADJUSTER.

Application led February 6, 1920. Serial No. 356,755.

To all whom t 'may concern:

' Be it known that vl, WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flushing, Long island, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slack Adjusters, of which the iollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in slack adjusters and more particularly to slack adjusters adapted to be associated with the brake rigging orn the trucks of railway vehicles, although it is to be understood that the invention without modification may be applied to any part of the brake rigging where it is desired to take up the slack involving relative movement between the eHective ends of two connected parts of the brake rigging.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved form of slack vadjuster of simple and practical construction which Vwill be reliable and efficient in use and operation.

A further object is t0 provide an limproved form of slack adjuster which may be inexpensively manufactured and assembled and which `is not likely to be aected by atmospheric conditions due to freezing, rusting or dirt and dirt of the road.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of various possible applications and forms of the present invention,

Vlligure 1 is an elevational view showing Vsuch parts of the brake rigging and truck tramingas isnecessary to understand the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional *plan view of certain parts of the mechanism. Y

VReferring now to the drawings in det-ail, 5 indicates the truck framing provided with a central bolster 6 and wheels 7 with which. shoes 8 are adapted to coact on application of the brakes. These shoes are carried Vby brake beam 10 having struts 11.

A live lever 12 is connected by means of a pull rod 13 at the point 14 with any suitable source o power adapted to urge the upper end 'of 'the live lever relatively towards the on an application ofthe brak-ea The lower central part of the live lever is pivotally mounted in the strut 11 while its `iower end is pivotally connected at 15 .with the tubular part 16 'of the two part push rod. The other part or rod proper' 17 is pivotally connected at 18 with the lower part of the dead lever 20, the upper end of the lever being pivotally connected in any one of a series of openings 21 in a support 22 pivotally connected at 23 with the truck frame. The central part of the dead lever is of course mounted in the strut 11.

These parts are all of well-known construction and to those familiar in the art it will readily be seen that on application of the brakes, motion will be transmitted through the push rod 16 to dead lever 2O in order to carry the brake shoes 8 into engagement with the peripheries ot the wheels 7.

Parallel to the push rod 16 is an adjusting rod 211 having a slottedfor lost motionconnection 25 with pivot pin 26 connecting the live lever with the strut 11. This slot is l-'or the purpose of insuring brake shoe-clearance on release of the brakes and of permitting a normal application of the brakes to take place without operating the slack adjuster unless there is excess movement. The oppositel end of this adjusting rod 24 is supported by a housing 27 andv held in relatively locked engagement therewith by means of lock nuts 28. This housing slidably engages rod 17 and carries one or more dogs 30 normally held in eanted relation with respect to the rod 17 bymeans ot a coil spring 31 within `the housing. The tubular member 16 is also provided with a housing 82 in fixed position having a plurality of dogs 33 held in canted relation by means of spring Se, the parts being so positioned and arranged that a relative inward telescopic movement of the rod 17 is positively prevented during application of the brakes but an outward movement thereof' can freely take place when necessary to ei:- tend push rod in order to permanently take up the excess slack.

interposed between the housings 27 and 32 is a coil spring 35 adapted to extend the rod 17 relatively towards the right inorder to insure the taking up of the slack and release of the brakes,-

Cil

to .wear, ofi the parts.

@n applicationvotV the brakes the upper part of the live lever moves towards the left, reacts through the telescopic push bottom rod upon the deadv lever() therebv to bring the brakes into appliedposition. If excess travel takes place exceeding that provided for by the slot 25 then this motion will-be transmitted through the adjusting rod 24- to move the housing` 2? towards the left andf.compress the spring 35, the dog 30 being so mounted as to slide freely towarcs the lett'along the rodi?. On release ot the brakes the brake shoes lirst drop .clear of the wheels as provided for bythe lost motion slot 25 after which a continued rearward movement of the live lever 12 under the vaction of the return spring 36 will transmit .themotion through the adjusting rod 24; and housing 27 to move the rod 17 outwardly ybeing aided, fotcourse, bythe spring 35 which was compressed during application. In this case the dog 30 bites ,into the rod i7 to form a positive engagement therewith and cause the rod 17 to slide freely outward or towards the right with -respectvto the dogs 33 which thereafter-permanently hold the excessslack due 'Ihus the slidably mounted housing and dogadjustment on the eitective end ot the adjusting rod permit free sliding movement of these parts lettwardly along the push rod tothe extent ot excess travel of the brake shoes and the extreme leitward point of travel becomes the point at which the dog grips on the push rod upon release of the brakes.

From the above it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple and practical slack adjuster mechanism `having relatively tew partswhich may be inexpensively manufactured and assembled. The device is exceedingly durable and reliable. and there is little or no danger ot ythe parts Afreezing, rusting or sticking into a non-operative position. The invention is ,bc-lievedyto accomplish all the objects and advantages herein set forth.-

It is believed. that the above will so fully reveal the gist -otl` the present Ainvention that others can by applying current knowl edgev readily adapt the same to various uses and modifications, andthe appended claims are intended to cover all-ot the generic and speciiic features thereof that may, be comprehended within the range otequivalency.

`llhat I claim is: f 1,-In a slackadjuster mechanism, in combination, live and deadzlevers, twopart spring means and the dogs beingso mounted as vto permit relative movement et the two parts ot the telescopic rod in one direction and Voi"- the adjusting rody andits housing on said telescopic push rod-in the-:other direction. Y f t i 2. In a slack adjuster mechanism, incombination, live anddead "levers, a two Vpart telescopic push-rod connecting Vsaid levers,

an adjusting rod lying substantially parallel thereto and connecting` with one of said parts of said telescopic push rod and be-v tween the adjusting rod and one of the parts ot said telescopic push 'rodeach connection comprising a housing and a holding dog, the dogs being so mounted as to permit relative movement ofthe two fparts ot the'teleseopic rod in one direction andthe adjusting rod and the other part ot said telescopic .push rod in the otherdirection and a spring to aid in returning the parts 3' to normal position associated with said push rod.A i

3. In a slack adjuster mechanism, in cornbination, live anddead levers, a two-part telescopic push'rod connecting the lower ends oit said levers and two sets of holding dogs urged apart by a spring member and coacting` with one of :the parts of said push rod, an adjusting rod positioned substantially parallelto said push rod and operatively associated with one ot said hold ing dogs, whereby the push rod is-treely moved in one direction with respect to one and in the opposite direction with respect to the other.

4. In a slack adjuster mechanism, in combination, live and dead levers, a two part telescopic push rod connecting the lower ends of said levers` two sets of holding dogs enacting with one oit thefparts ot'said push rod, retained in continuous operative position whereby the pushrod is lreely' moved in one direction` with respect to one and in the opposite direction with respect -to the other, an adjusting rod connected with one or' said dogs adapted to move the same when excess travel occurs, and a spring adapted to urge said adjusting rod in re-V verse direction. Y

5, In a slack adjuster mechanism, in combination, live and dead levers, a two part telescopic push rod connect-ing the lower ends of saidlevers, a housingfhavinga' dog;r therein adaptedY torxprevent relative-movement on applicationfot the brakes, a second housing and dog coacting with one of the parts of said push rod adapted to be moved therealong when excess travel occurs and to change the relative length of said push rod on release of the brakes if excess travel has occured, and spring means adapted to eilect positive movement of the brakes to normal releasing position and to prevent relaxing the push rod position.

6. In a slack adjuster mechanism, in combination, live and dead levers, a two part telescopic push rod connecting the lower ends of said levers, a housing having dogs therein adapted to prevent relative movement on application of the brakes, a second housing and dog coacting with one of the parts of said push rod adapted to be moved therealong when excess travel occurs and to change the relative length of said push rod on release of the brakes if excess travel has occurred a spring urging said housings ap art, an adjusting rod connected with said last mentioned dog at one end and having a lost motion connection with the live lever at its opposite end.

7. In a slack adjuster mechanism, in comibination, live and dead levers, a two part telescopic push rod connecting the lower ends of said levers, a housing having a dog there-- in adapt-ed to prevent relative movement on application of the brakes, a second dog coacting with one of the parts of Isaid push rod adapted to be moved therealong when excess travel occurs and to change the relative length of said push rod on release of the brakes if excess travel has occurred, an adjusting rod connected with said last mentioned dog at one end-and having a lost ino-tion connection with the live lever at its opposite end, and spring means adapted to restore the parts to normal position. Y

8. In an automatic slack adjuster, the combination with a pair of'brake levers and a bottom rod comprising longitudinally adjustable members connected to the ends of said levers, of a spring acting on one of said members, a rod operated by excess ino-vement of the brake levers in applying the brakes for compressing said spring, and a clutch mechanism for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said members in one direction.

9. In a slack adjuster mechanism, in com. bination, liveiand dead levers, a two part telescopic push rod connected with the lower end of said levers, positively acting holding j means adapted to prevent the relative change in length of said push rod during the application of the brakes, a second positively acting holding means associated with one of said parts in the push rod, and adjusting rod connected therewith at one part and having a lost motion connection with the live leverV at another fpart adapted to move relative to the part o the push rod with which it is connected when excess slack' occurs during application of the brakes and to move said part to vary the length of said push rod on release oi" the brakes if excess travel occurs and spring means adapted to insure the operation of said adjuster.

l0. In a slack adjuster mechanism, in conibination, live and dead levers. a two part telescopic push rod connected with the lower end ot said levers, positively acting holding means adapted to prevent the relativechange in length of said push rod during the application of the brakes, a second positively acting holding means associated with one of said parts oi the push rod, an adjusting rod connected therewith at one part and having a lost motion connection with the live lever at another part adapted to move relative to the part of the push rod with which it is connected when excess slack occurs during the application of the brakes and to move said part to vary the length of said push rod on release of the brakes if excess travel occurs, and spring means adapted to insure the operation ot said adjuster, said means including a coil spring directly associated with and acting between said positive holding means.

ll. In a slack adjuster mechanism, in combination, live and dead levers, a two-part telescopic push-rod connecting said levers, an adjusting rod lying substantially parallel thereto and connecting with one of said parts, the connection at the edoctive end of' one part of said telescopic push-rod and at the effective end of said adjusting rod comprising each a housing and holding dog means, mounted to permit free relative movement of the two parts of the telescopic rod in one direction and of the adjusting rod with its housing in the other direction, said housings urged apart by an interposed spring member,

12. In an automatic slack adjuster, the combination with brake levers, of a bottomrod comprising a casing connected to the end of one lever, a member connected to the end oi. the other lever and extending into and movable relatively to the casing, a spring acting on said member, means operated by excess movement of the brake levers in applying the brakes for compressing said spring, and a device for locking said meinber against movement relative to the casing in applying the brakes.

1B. In an. automatic slack a djnster, th e combination with a pair of brake levers and a bottoni rod comprising longitudinally adjustable members connected to said levers, of a spring acting on one ot said members, a rod operated by excess movement of the brake levers in applying the brakes for compressing said spring, and a. clutch mechanism for preventing relative longitudinal movement et said members in one direction.

14. In an automatic slack adjuster, the

combination With brake levers, of a. bottom movement relative tothe casing inV applying 10 rod comprising a casing connected tothe end the brakes.

of one lever, la member connected to the In` testimony whereof I affix my signature other lever and extending into and movable inthe presence of two Witnesses.

relatively to the casinof, a spring acting on 4 T a said member, mea-ns opzearatedby excess Inove- LLIM H' SAU AGE' ment of the brake levers in applying the Witnesses:

brakes for compressing said spring, and a DoNALD C; DAVIS,

device for locking said member against ALFRED E. OTT. 

